Bride & Prejudice Redux
by Tripp3235
Summary: Decided to alter some scenes.  Changed the ending to the dream sequence and added/altered in moments where we actually see Darcy and Lalita falling in love.  Thank you to Slynn6776 as my long suffering beta.
1. Prologue

**I recently watched **_**Bride and Prejudice**_** for the first time. I'm a huge Jane Austen fan, and while this movie did have its weaknesses, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I did have issue with a couple of moments. The first was with the dream sequence. I know that Bollywood movies they are forbidden to kiss, but not so in fanfiction . I altered the dream sequence shown here to have what I find much more interesting. The other part and what this FF will primarily focus on, is the days after Lalita meets Darcy's mother. I felt it was too soon for Darcy to ask Lalita out to dinner by themselves and then I'd like to replace the Bollywood montage sequence (to show they are falling in love) with actual scenes of them falling in love. This is an older movie so I don't expect anyone to even notice I posted, but if you read, please comment. I'd appreciate it. **

_Lalita smiled as she walked up the aisle, her groom stood proudly as she approached. Even through the heavy lace in the American style veil, she could see the handsome features of Johnny. Though she hadn't known him that long, his charm, good looks and sensitive side made her sure he was the right choice. He was the right man for her._

_At the altar, she beamed another smile at him which Johnny returned. She gasped as he reached out to pull up her veil. Her heart raced as she watched the material slowly rise up, ready to see him without hindrance. She stared at his chest, slowly lifting her gaze over the materials in the tuxedo, to his chin looking strong and determined. _

_But in an actual blink of an eye, Lalita felt horror overcome her. No longer was Johnny's pleasing face before her, but Darcy's. That face which held contempt for her and her country. She felt fear overtake her, she wasn't marrying Johnny at all, but Darcy! How did this happen?_

_She screamed as loudly as she could, but no one did anything, especially Darcy who stood by looking confused. She ran away, she had to get away from him. Running through the door to the outside where the beautiful sunshine had turned to a horrible rainstorm. She didn't care about getting wet, she'd run through fire to get away from him!_

_But now he was before her, grabbing her arm as she tried to run away. He turned her around to face him. She struggled in his arms, what did he think he was doing? She stopped, tired; the rain making it harder to see. _

_As she calmed down, she realized she was very close to him. Closer than she ever had been. Their faces were mere inches apart. She wanted to tell him to let her go, to leave her alone. SHE HATED HIM! But when she tried to speak, no words came out. He took the opportunity to brush his lips to hers. She expected his lips to feel cold, but they were warm and wet, probably from the rain. He kissed her again, this time longer. Darcy's body heat felt so good and Lalita relaxed in his arms. She began to give in to the pleasure, groaning out his name…_

Lalita jerked out of the bed. It took a second to realize she was no longer kissing Darcy but in her bed in her parent's house. Looking around, she realized it was still the middle of the night, moonlight streaming into her bedroom. Pushing the hair out of her face, she let her eyes adjust. Looking into the mirror in her bedroom, she stared at herself, wondering why of all men, Darcy would be the object of such an intense dream? Leaning her head into her hands, she slowed her breathing, hoping it would slow down her heart, which was still racing. Licking her lips, the dream still felt very real.


	2. Dinner

_Chapter One_

Jaya turned to her sister, "It's you he wants to eat with, you know, the rest of us are just there to…"

"So I have someone to talk to," Lalita finished. They were waiting for Darcy to arrive to pick them up. He had invited them to dinner along with his sister, Georgie. Lalita had accepted more out of the inability to come up with a reasonable excuse not to go, his offer coming so out of the blue.

Jaya smiled, "He's not that bad. He was charming today actually."

Her sister shook her head, "I'm sure it's just his business face, like Kohli saying they now had the home court advantage."

"You didn't seem to mind so much. Honestly Lalita, you insist you can't stand him but when you're around him, you're quite receptive to…"

"To what?" Lalita asked not liking what Jaya was implying.

"To him." As if that explained everything.

Snorting, Lalita dismissed such an idea. "Now you're sounding like Chandra. She's always seemed to notice Darcy's attentions and loved the idea of the two of us…"

Just then Darcy's convertible pulled into the driveway, momentarily stopping Lalita from speaking. She was beginning to wonder if everyone in LA had a convertible. Saying goodbye to the family, they walked outside to greet them. Darcy and his sister were getting out of the car.

"Hi," Darcy said, looking more than a little nervous. "You know, we do have some time before our reservations if you want to sit here for a while…"

That would only give Chandra a chance to grill Darcy about his intentions, so Lalita shook her head. "No, they are in the middle of…something. Let's just go." Anything to get this night over and done.

"Fine by me," Georgie said, beaming, "I'm starving." With that, she hopped in the backseat where Jaya joined her, forcing Lalita to take the front seat next to Darcy.

As they drove away, Jaya asked, "So where are we going?"

Georgina said, "My brother wants it to be a surprise."

Glancing over at Darcy, Lalita looked to see if he would let on about where they were headed. He just smiled, and before she could stop herself, she returned it. Turning her head so Jaya couldn't see, Lalita berated herself for whatever was going on lately between them. Just because Darcy made a long International flight pleasant did not undo all his past behavior. The rudeness may have been gone, but he was still arrogant and rich. Not that she had a problem with his money, it just seemed to create an entitled attitude, which definitely turned her off. Of course, Lalita had never dreamed how much money he actually had, until she saw the LA hotel and met his mother.

Thinking of Mrs. Darcy made Lalita twitch with irritation. Noticing, Darcy asked, "You comfortable? Are you cold?"

Glancing over at him, she said no. She realized then that Darcy was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Obviously he was nervous. He had been earlier at lunch too, though Lalita had no doubt it had more to do with his mother. She had never witnessed such a display of contempt for others, which even extended to her own children. The way she spoke to both Darcy and Georgie irritated Lalita. Had she always treated them this way? Was Darcy's father like her too? His mother had made a snide remark about Darcy taking after him that was said in such a way it was obvious she didn't approve. But judging by Mrs. Darcy's own behavior and what she disapproved of, it only spoke well of the senior Darcy.

They arrived at a Mexican restaurant called _Casa Vista_. The place, though certainly nice, didn't have the sophistication and airs Lalita had expected to be taken. She felt a little overdressed.

"I'm glad Will wanted to come here," Georgie said. "I've never been to India but I wanted you guys to experience Mexican style food. It's delicious, especially here in California."

Jaya and Lalita walked in. Everyone had smiles on their faces and a mariachi band was playing to the side. The hostess, a plump Mexican woman, smiled when she saw them enter. "Senor Darcy! Oh, and Senorita Georgina! I'm so glad to see you back in town!"

Darcy smiled and to Lalita's shock, kissed the older woman on the cheek. "Angela! I didn't think you would be working so late! "

The older woman laughed and gestured for them to follow her. "Oh, I saw your name down on the reservation list. Haven't seen you in so long; I had to stay and see my favorite customer!"

Lalita continued listening to the exchange. Did Darcy pay this woman to talk him up so? But his attitude with her seemed so sincere. Darcy's smile had never faltered since walking in, probably the longest Darcy had gone wearing one. Lalita couldn't stop staring, while she always had to admit he was a handsome man, a genuine smile with laughter made a remarkable difference. When he turned his eyes to her, Lalita could feel herself blushing again.

"Have you two been to a Mexican place before?" he asked.

Jaya answered first, "It's the first time I've been, but I think Lalita has been before, when we were in London."

Darcy's face fell so Lalita wanted to explain. "Well, yes, but it was a long time ago and it's certainly a different environment in England. This was..your idea to come here?" She still couldn't believe he would like such a place.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to make sure you guys got the full cultural experience. But of course, it didn't occur to me that Kohli might have taken you to a place like this already. I'm sorry, I should have asked."

His humility unnerved Lalita more than his laughter did. She started to tell him it was ok but found her mouth was dry. Thankful for the water the waiter had just brought, Lalita drank it.

Time passed and the meal had long been eaten. His nerves wouldn't let him fully relax, yet Darcy was really enjoying himself. Though not as shy as himself, Jaya was much more talkative than she ever had been, and Georgina's presence took the pressure off. As if in direct opposition, Lalita said little, but she was smiling and laughing out loud to which he took to be a good sign. Thanks to Georgie, he knew how to read Lalita's body language better, and felt confident that he was managing to undo the damage he had done in India.

Of course, it wasn't easy taking dating advice from his baby sister. But Darcy knew he had a real second chance with Lalita, and didn't want to screw it up. He had filled Georgie in about Lalita long before that day, the good with the bad. Georgie did idolize her brother for many things, but knew he had a hard time in mixed company and she had guessed being in a foreign country had made things all the worse for him.

Earlier that day, after they separated from Lalita's family, Darcy was completely confused about how to feel. He could tell Lalita had warmed to him some, but she also might have just been polite. He'd worried about his mother around them, but Lalita standing her ground made him admire her all the more. She had defended her opinions in a respectful way, without taking it too far like he would have.

Georgie had also been impressed with Lalita. She noticed Lalita's attentions to Darcy but felt the Indian woman was keeping her distance. Georgina was a little worried she had been a little too pushy selling her brother, she adored him that sometimes she forgot not everyone could see his big heart.

A round of drinks had been ordered. Darcy raised his hand in a toast manner, gesturing to Lalita, "Here's to the only person I've seen stand up to my mother."

Lalita looked embarrassed. "I hope I wasn't too rude."

Georgie laughed, "It's good for her."

She smiled and Darcy felt the need to go on. "It reminded me of being in India. There I was, trying to figure what was going on, and you were jumping down my throat."

"You deserved it," she said.

Darcy felt a slight kick under the table and he glanced at his sister. This was a sign they had decided to use and he realized Lalita's manner which had relaxed over dinner, was now back to the formal tone she took many times when they first met. Clearing his throat, he decided to be honest, "I know I can be thoughtless at times, especially when I'm nervous. Let me say, I never intentionally meant to be insulting or offensive."

He stopped there, staring at her. She had cast her eyes down at the table, her face unreadable. After a beat, she raised them and they stared for what seemed like an eternity.

He didn't realize he was holding his breath until Jaya spoke, "The band is good."

"Hmmm," Darcy nodded, grabbing a quick sip of his margarita. Glancing back over at Lalita, he saw her eyes were still on him. Not able to resist, he pointed to her, "Why don't you show them how it's done."

"Oh, no, no." Again her eyes cut down. Was she blushing?

Feeling playful, Darcy joked, "Well, you know, I guess your guitar playing can't really compare to your sister's snake dance."

The three laughed, leaving poor Georgina in the dark. "What?"

"Their sister does this awesome snake dance."

Again, Georgina's bewildered expression left them to laugh some more. Jaya and Lalita quickly filled the younger woman in about the entertainment that happened at dinner a couple of months earlier.

"Well," Georgie said, smiling, "sorry I missed that. I will have to look that up when I return to class in the fall."

"Oh that's right," Lalita said. "You're in school. What are you studying?"

"Music," Georgie said. "Though not guitar I'm afraid."

Lalita glanced over at Darcy, "I wouldn't think so. "

"Actually my favorite is the composition classes but I do love the piano."

"She should," Darcy said proudly, "someday she's going to be a famous concert pianist."

Georgie ignored him. "Music is something that gives me such joy. I do admit my dream is to travel the world in concert but let's just make sure I graduate first."

Jaya said, "That's great you have an opportunity to take a gift you love and dedicate your life to it."

"Do you study here?" Lalita asked.

"No, in New York at Julliard."

"That's a prestigious school," Lalita said, "Of course, with your family money you can afford to go to go to the best…"

"Actually," Georgina interrupted, "I'm on scholarship. My mother wasn't keen on me taking this direction with my life and so it's been something I've had to do on my own."

Lalita didn't respond immediately. After a few moments of silence, Jaya said, "But a scholarship to Julliard is a real accomplishment. It speaks a great deal of your talent."

"Like I said, she's going to be a famous concert pianist someday." He honestly did believe it.

"Admittedly it's a part scholarship. But Will picks up the rest on his own money, and he helped me get a job so I can pay for my room and board."

Darcy blushed, hoping it didn't seem like they were showing off again. He had been furious with his mother for not seeing his sister's talents and allowing her to pursue a dream she had a real chance at, but he had to admit despite objections, Georgie now had a better grasp of living in the real world and he knew she wasn't the same sheltered girl the Wickhams of this world could take advantage of.

The conversation had gradually moved to education in India. Darcy enjoyed listening to what life was like for the Bakshi sisters growing up. Before long, they realized the restaurant was half empty and it was very late.

As they were leaving, Angela had brought them a dessert, from the back, on the house. She wanted Lalita and Jaya to take some back to their house. Heading out to the car, Darcy held the plate while the women got in. He noticed that Lalita didn't seem to mind sitting in the front seat this time. He waited as she got situated, and putting the seat belt on before he handed the food to her. Though she had a firm hold on the plate, he didn't immediately let it go, but held it until she looked at him. He had leaned in closely and whispered, "Hold it tight, I'd hate for it to spill on you and ruin that beautiful dress."

He then walked to the other side and got in. The ride back home was quiet. Looking at the rear mirror, he could tell his sister and Jaya were very tired. The full meal and the late night were getting to them. Glancing at Lalita, Darcy quietly said, "What are your plans tomorrow?"

He apparently interrupted her thoughts as Lalita jumped at the sound of his voice. "Hmm? Oh, we were going to do more sight-seeing. Kohli can't take us so it will just be my sisters and me."

"Where are you thinking of going?"

"Well," Lalita said, "Lakhi may overrule me, but I'd love to go to the Natural History Museum."

"Oh, that's Will's favorite museum! He could give you a tour!" Piped up Georgina in the back, her fatigue clearly removing any subtlety for helping out her brother.

"Yes, well I'm not sure…"

Jaya cut her sister off. "No, I want to go too. Do you think you could take us tomorrow morning? Lakhi can stand to see more museums and less beaches and shops."

"Sure, I would be honored to," Darcy said while he pulled into the driveway. "Let me help you out of the car since you have that dish."

Jumping out, he ran over to help Lalita out. As he handed the dessert back, she said "Thank you." It might have been his imagination but she lingered longer than was necessary.

As he watched the two women walk to the door, he called back, probably too eagerly. "So I'll pick you up at nine?"

He was desperate for Lalita to give him some sign she was glad he was joining them, but it was Jaya who turned and answered that was fine. Not willing to let it get him down, Darcy got back in the car while his sister remained in the back seat.

"Well I am going to concentrate on the positive. In India Lalita would have made up an excuse not to go tomorrow. The fact she remained silent is definitely a step in the right direction, right?"

"Right, big brother." Georgie said smiling. As Darcy pulled out of the driveway, he couldn't see Georgie's face or he would have asked about her continued smile. What she saw that he didn't was Lalita remained at the door watching them drive away in the shadows, still holding that plate.


	3. Museum

_Chapter Two_

"Is Lakhi not ready yet? Darcy will be here in 20 minutes." Lalita said as nonchalantly as she possibly could.

The younger woman emerged from the bathroom, still wearing her pajamas. "I'm not going. I don't care about museums."

"Big surprise," Lalita said rolling her eyes. To be truthful she was relieved. Her sister was a handful and would make no effort to keep her mouth from complaining the entire time.

Just then, Jaya came out of the bedroom. She was dressed, but not to go out in public. Lalita eyed her sister suspiciously, "Why are you dressed like that?"

"Um," Jaya said, "I'm not feeling well. I think you better go without me."

"What?" Lalita did not buy it. Jaya was as bad as Chandra. "You expect me to go with him by myself?"

"Jaya said you probably wanted to be with him on your own last night." Lakhi got an elbow to her ribs.

Lalita shook her head a little too forcefully. "I did not. And just because Darcy was being charming last night…"

"Go Lalita, have a good time. You're into museums more than the rest of us anyway. And if Georgina was telling the truth about Darcy's love for them, he'll be an excellent gui-"

"Why wouldn't she be telling the truth?" Lalita asked, glaring at her two sisters. "Why does everyone keep pushing us together? I'm not interested like that…"

Just then the doorbell rang downstairs. Lakhi glanced out the window to see Darcy's car. "He's here."

"He's early," Lalita hissed.

Jaya couldn't resist, "Probably can't wait to see you!" She earned a glare from her sister for her trouble.

Chandra welcomed Darcy inside. Lalita knew she better get down there or Chandra would ask him to stay. Walking down the stairs, Darcy and Chandra looked up to see her. Darcy's blushed while saying, "Good morning, Lalita."

Feeling her face match his, she returned the greeting.

Getting a good look at her friend, Chandra couldn't hold back her giant smile, "Why, Lalita, don't you look beautiful this morning? Is that a new outfit?"

"No," Lalita said, upset with her friend's teasing. "Um, you're early."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Traffic was much lighter than I expected. If you're not ready I could wait in the car."

Lalita had to giggle a little at his nervousness. "No, don't be silly. We can go."

As they walked out the door, the three women chimed in perfect unison, "Have a good time!"

Darcy was about to turn to say something, but Lalita held out her hand. "Ignore them."

The ride to the museum was quiet at first until Lalita remarked on the traffic. Darcy had a lot to say on the subject, but in an amusing way. She reminded him of the traffic in India which he remembered well. Darcy's sincere feelings on how lost he felt there gave Lalita pause to remember her own treatment of Darcy was not exactly welcoming.

At the museum, Lalita was very surprised that Darcy was indeed a big fan of the Natural History Museum. He'd obviously been there several times and even had knowledge of the architecture of the building. His lively spirit in explaining what he knew, though not in a condescending way, was almost boyish in nature. Lalita found herself laughing out loud at his liveliness, which may have confused him but was no deterrent.

They spent a lot of time in the dinosaur section. As they went from display to display, Lalita found herself asking Darcy about his love for the museum.

"Oh, well, when I was younger my farther would take me here and the ones in London. Back then, well I was a boy and other than the dinosaurs, I didn't really care. He would rattle on, I guess the way I'm doing now and I'd just shrug."

She nodded, smiling at the image of a young Darcy. "But you came to love it."

Darcy's face fell slightly, "Yeah, well…not really in time though."

"In time?" She was surprised at the sudden sadness on his face.

Glancing at her, he looked to be struggling about whether to say anything. She waited until he relented. "When my father died, I was a teenager. I…he never gave up his love for museums even though I found excuses for him not to take me anymore. Anyway, in London after the funeral I went to the Museum of London by myself. I felt a very deep connection I hadn't felt when he was alive. A little too late."

Darcy's face held such regret and sadness, Lalita reached out her hand to caress his arm. The touch had him come out of his melancholy state and return to the present. "Sorry, didn't mean to turn negative all of a sudden."

"No, no, that was a tragic moment in your history and at such a young age. I can't imagine…I love my father and if I lost him even now…"

"Yeah, I liked your father. He seemed to favor you." They sat down at a nearby bench.

Smiling, Lalita shook her head. "He would never say I was a favorite but it's true he and I get along better than the rest of my sisters, though Jaya comes in very close. If he was gone, I think I'd be shattered."

"It's tough, but you carry through. For the love of your family." Lalita knew he was talking about his sister.

"If you were a teenager, then Georgina must have been a little girl."

He nodded. "Yes, she was but she was old enough to understand which I think made it all the harder. And you met my mother so it wasn't like we were first on her mind."

"Yeah," Lalita said, feeling more disdain for Mrs. Darcy than ever. She reached for his arm again and squeezed. "Looks like you did a good job with Georgina in spite of, and she obviously adores you."

"Thank you." Darcy was staring into her eyes. They were hypnotic and she couldn't think of anything else she wanted to say. His other hand came over Lalita's. She enjoyed the warmth of his touch. He then began rubbing her hand in small circular motions. The sensations made her heart race but once Lalita came to her senses, she gently took her hand away. Standing up, she said with a hoarse throat, "We better keep going. Remember I want to meet my family for lunch."

"Right." Darcy replied.

The morning went by faster than either could imagine. Darcy asked if she wanted to get coffee before her lunch. When she agreed, he realized he'd been holding his breath.

As they waited for their coffee, Darcy reflected on the wonderful morning they had. Or he thought it was wonderful. His excitement over sharing his love for the museum wasn't fake, and the fact she was so responsive made him enjoy himself all the more. They had far more in common than one would think since they grew up on opposite sides of the world. And she was so easy to talk to, even on the hardest of subjects. Darcy could kick himself for not trying harder in India to get to know her.

After getting their coffees, Darcy found a booth that was out of the main crowd, making it easier to talk. "How's your cappuccino?" He cringed inwardly at the lame question.

"It's good." She took a sip. "I'm not used to so much foam on the top."

"Yeah, well, that way they can serve less and make more."

She smiled knowingly. "Yes, I'm sure they do."

"It's the American way." He said shyly.

"Well," she said reflectively, "I think you'll find everywhere in the world they try to do the same."

"Yeah. Pretty much. Um, how do you like America so far?"

Lalita seemed to consider his question, and Darcy felt his heart dip. What if she hated it? All at once he understood far better how his dismissive attitude on her country's long held customs must have felt to her. However, her response was positive. "Actually I do like it here. It's different. And I know LA is just one part of the country, so I wish I had time to see more. We're only here for another week."

Was that a hint of regret in her eyes? Darcy wasn't sure. He was about to say something else when Lalita went on, "Maybe with my best friend living here, I can come again in the future."

"I'd like that," Darcy said before he could stop himself. Lalita's reaction made him blush. "Anyway, I hope you enjoyed your tour of the Natural History Museum. Was your tour satisfactory?"

She smiled, "Very."

"And was the guide informative, charming and delightful?"

Her giggle was music to Darcy's ears. "Maybe. Just a little."

"Excellent! The audience was very captivating, making it difficult to speak about the exhibits."

She grew quiet at his comment and Darcy worried he'd messed up again. How did he always find the wrong thing to say? But one look into her eyes and he then realized maybe, finally, he said the very right thing.

Just then, his cell phone rang. He tried to ignore it, but Lalita told him it was fine. Apologizing he took the call. He listened as his assistant explained the issue and he realized he was going to have to go in. Hanging up the phone, he never felt such hatred for his job than he did at that moment.

"I'm so sorry. I'm afraid I'll have to go to work. There is this problem…"

"Don't worry; you've been so kind to give up so much of your time as it is." The disappointment on her face was there, but it oddly did little to appease him; in fact it made him feel worse.

As they walked out, Lalita checked her watch. "Actually this is good timing. I should be meeting my family soon for lunch, then onto our own site seeing tour."

They got to his car, and she told him what restaurant they were to meet them. As they drove, Darcy asked, "You don't sound too excited about more LA site seeing."

She shrugged. "Yes, well. We've been to all the typical hot spots. It's fine. They want to go to the beach. I'm sure California beaches are beautiful but I had hoped to see something different or unusual. I feel like…I don't know, I want to see everything but with our tourist guide book and maps carrying our cameras, it feels so generic. Plus we have another day of it in the morning."

"I know what you mean, I think." He said thinking.

He could feel her eyes on him, "This morning was different. I really did enjoy myself."

He laughed. "So I'm a better tour guide than Kohli?"

She returned his laugh. "Yes, very much."

"High praise indeed." He waited a beat then ventured an idea. "You know, I'm not sure if you would be interested, but I might be able to make the site seeing for you and your family a little more exciting. I think…I mean I have an idea. Would you be up for it?"

She was staring at him. "What do you have in mind?"

"Oh," He had to grin mischievously, "I'd rather not say. But I promise it to be quite over the top, that is, if you would allow me to be. If you think it would be alright for the morning that is. I'm afraid there is nothing I can do about this afternoon."

She was silent for a few moments, then responded. "So tomorrow, will you be there?"

He didn't dare look at her but her tone sounded hopeful. "Would you like me there?"

She waited a beat before she answered which nearly killed him. "Yes."

"Well, then I'll pick you guys up in the morning with a chance to see LA like few do." She agreed. Dropping her off, Darcy knew he had a lot to do if he was going to pull this off.


	4. Helicopter

_Chapter Three_

The next morning everyone was surprisingly ready for Darcy when he arrived. Apparently his promise of something unexpected excited the whole Bakshi family, even Mrs Bakshi. It was evident to Lalita that there would be no last minute excuses to stay home, which left her oddly disappointed.

"You think he's taking us to Hollywood?" Lakhi wondered. Lalita certainly hoped Darcy had more imagination than that.

Darcy drove up, this time in an SUV, which offered plenty of room for them all to fit comfortably. When Mrs. Bakshi took the front passenger seat, Lalita was momentarily caught off guard. In the back of her mind she had envisioned sitting up front with Darcy. She felt a little let down as she got into the back.

"So where are you taking us?" Lakhi asked, not wanting to wait any longer.

Darcy chuckled. "I thought I'd take you to the zoo."

"The zoo?" Mrs. Bakshi answered, sounding as disappointed as Lakhi looked. Lalita made eye contact with Darcy through the rear mirror on the dashboard. A quick wink to her made it quite clear he was teasing. Lalita smiled at him.

Several minutes into the drive it was clear he was not taking them to the zoo. Again, the youngest and oldest Bakshi members tried to pump Darcy for answers, but he wasn't spilling.

Eventually he took them out of the city. When they arrived at their destination, it was evident what was going to happen.

"A helicopter!" Jaya exclaimed. "Oh, I've always wanted to go on one!"

"Me too!" Lakhi said, waiting for the car to stop before getting out, all thoughts of Hollywood were forgotten.

Darcy walked to the other side of the car, where Lalita sat. His look was anxious, seeking approval. "What do you think? Is this different enough?"

Beaming, Lalita nodded. "I hardly know what to say."

Mrs. Bakshi pointed in the direction of the main office. "I think we go in here, that sign says something about starting line on tours."

"Sorry, no," Darcy said, stopping the older woman. "We're going to, um, get a little different tour. We just walk around here."

They followed Darcy around the building to a more private area. Someone was waving at them, and Darcy waved back.

The man was in his forties with a deep tan. His smile to Darcy was genuine and big. They reached out and grasped each other's hands. Darcy made introductions, and Lalita learned this was Brad Wright. He had been friends with Darcy's father a long time ago and still kept in contact as much as he can. He owned the helicopter touring business.

"When Will asked me if I could possibly find a free chopper today to fly you guys around, I said on one condition! That I do the flying." Everyone laughed.

Brad took them to a flight of stairs; apparently their copter was on a raised platform. As it emerged before their eyes, Lalita felt like she was dreaming. She had never thought in a million years she would ever get to do something like this.

"You okay?" Darcy noticed she hadn't said much.

"Yes, I still can't believe this. Honestly, how can we ever repay you for something…"

He stopped her by touching her arm, "Please, I want to do this. Besides, Brad is a friend and was more generous than I expected."

A silence fell on them as they gazed at each other. Neither noticed that the rest of the family was getting buckled in. Finally, Brad interrupted the moment when he slapped Darcy on the back, breaking the spell. "So, Lalita, I must tell you, that I've known this guy since he was born. And there isn't enough money in the world to stop me from telling some stories about him."

"Brad," Darcy said through clenched teeth.

Lalita answered, "There isn't enough money in the world to stop me from listening."

"Great," she heard Darcy mutter, making her giggle.

The flight went all over the city, taking much longer than the normal one hour tours. They saw beaches, canyons, downtown LA, and to Lakhi's delight a distant Hollywood with some celebrity homes thrown in. But what Lalita enjoyed the most was Brad's stories of Darcy. She heard a variety of them: when he was very little and would dance naked out by the pool; When he got his diploma at Oxford, he tripped going up the steps , knocking the microphone down. By the time Brad set the helicopter down on a private beach, Darcy looked as if he had wanted to bury himself in the sand.

Brad walked to the back and began unloading things from the chopper. Jaya asked what was going on now.

"Well," Brad answered, "I'm sure you are hungry so I have lunch for us. You can't come to Southern LA and not picnic at the beach."

Again, everyone was shocked and glanced at Darcy who still hadn't recovered from Brad's stories of him. "Well, I thought we better eat and we could hardly go through a drive thru window."

As everyone helped to set things up, Brad walked up behind Lalita. "So, are you enjoying the stories of Will?"

She laughed, "Very much so. You have more to share?"

Brad glanced at Darcy who was helping take out some food and set up with Jaya and Lakhi. "I do, but he might go into cardiac arrest if I tell anymore."

"I am sure he will live. Besides he owes you for all of this trouble."

"Actually I owe him," Brad said, suddenly becoming serious. "A few years ago my business fell on hard times and I was going to have to fold. Will heard about it and insisted on helping me out, not just with money but overlooking my books to find out what exactly happened before. To this day he still won't let me pay him back."

The affection in Brad's voice was clear. Lalita let her eyes glide over to Darcy, now placating her mother by trying to remove the sand from the blankets they were using to sit on. Brad walked away but Lalita remained standing in place. Was this the same man who had insulted her country and traditions just a mere six weeks earlier? She had taken him to be a thoughtless and offensive man whose pride gave him an exalted sense of self worth. But every moment gave her new evidence that chipped away at the impression, that image.

"Lalita, you coming to eat?" Mrs. Bakshi asked.

"Yes." Lalita choked out.

Darcy sat finishing his lunch. Lalita had grown quiet again. Brad had spent the entire meal talking, though thankfully about himself and the area this time. He had a knack for telling stories and as long as they weren't about him, Darcy could relax and enjoy spending time with Lalita's family.

Lalita kept sneaking glances at him. Of course, he was sneaking glances at her. But this time it seemed different. She was in thought, as if considering something. While he had been wrong before, he had a gut feeling this was a good thing. Maybe she was finally realizing that he wasn't as bad as her first impression led her to believe.

Jaya broke into his thoughts, "We really can't begin to thank you, both of you, for this wonderful day."

Everyone agreed and it was time to start cleaning up. Darcy found Lalita rushed to help him gather the blankets. As they folded them, they walked towards each other and eventually came face to face. Darcy knew he could never get tired gazing into her eyes.

"Jaya is right, today was wonderful and you really outdid yourself."

Blushing, Darcy didn't think he could take all the credit. "Well, Brad did most of the work. He got the chopper ready, prepared and brought the food, and flew us here. I just came along for the ride."

"You did more than that." Her voice was a whisper. Darcy's eyes fell on her lips. They were just inches away.

Before he could do anything about it, Lakhi interrupted. "Lalita, we need those blankets!"

Lalita rushed away so quickly Darcy wondered if he had imagined the moment.

The flight back was quiet for everyone, even Brad. Still, the novelty of flying had not worn off Jaya, Lakhi and Mrs. Bakshi. They had their eyes fixed to the ground trying to see spot known landmarks or celebrities. Lalita and Darcy, who were facing one another, kept their eyes trained on each other as if there was nothing else to look to.

After they landed, Darcy tried to talk payment but Brad wouldn't hear of it. He kept winking at Lakhi who was giggling at him. "Just spending time with pretty women is payment enough."

This gave Mrs. Bakshi an opportunity for the sake of Jaya who she wanted married first. "Oh, now did you know my eldest Jaya is not seeing anyone, and if you would like to come by the house later…"

Immediately Lalita and Jaya yelled at their mother to stop, mortified. Darcy laughed, wondering if Mrs. Bakshi would ever give up in trying to marry off her daughters.

Darcy had phone signal now and realized he had a few messages and had only enough time to drive the women back and head to the office. Though they loved the day, it was obvious they were worn out and welcomed to go back home. Darcy also noticed how sad Lalita looked. This fueled his courage to pull her to the side as everyone was getting in the car.

"Lalita, um, would you like to get together tonight?" She wasn't quite facing him and he wondered if he had misread her. Quickly he added, "I'd like to take you ice skating."

The look on her face told Darcy that the suggestion was not what she expected. "Ice skating? You skate?"

"Well, um, about as well as I dance but I think it might be fun and if you were up to it…"

"Are we going?" Lakhi asked impatient as always.

Darcy pulled out his keys, nodding in her direction. He started to walk away, when Lalita grabbed his arm, "Wait, yes. I'd love to go skating tonight."

Inwardly Darcy did a jump in the air screaming thank you. On the outside, he smiled politely and said, "Great. Pick you up at eight."


	5. Ice skating

_Chapter Four_

Darcy was holding the steering wheel so tight one could joke it might snap off. He snuck a peek at Lalita, who sat on the passenger seat looking out the window. He had told her to dress down, and even in jeans and a long sleeved T, she looked gorgeous. How was he ever going to be able to concentrate on not falling when she was beside him?

"So," he asked, "have you ever been ice skating before?"

She turned to face him, smiling. "No, I've always wanted to. It looks like fun."

He nodded, "It can be. When you're with the right person."

Her silence at his last statement forced him to turn towards her. The look she was giving him made him blush. Forcing himself to concentrate, he pointed ahead, "We're here."

He had taken her to a Culver City ice rink which luckily was open on Thursday evenings after eight to the public. As he helped her out of the car, he realized he was almost shaking. There was no denying Lalita's feelings for him had changed and he suddenly felt like everything rested on tonight. Why in the world did he pick something that risked him falling down like a baby? Didn't he embarrass himself enough around her when he tried to dance?

"So you come here often?" she asked as they went in and he rented their shoes.

"Um, not really. Georgina loves it here so we used to go a lot, more so when she was a kid. I thought though you might enjoy this. Or at the very least, laugh when I make a complete fool of myself."

They sat down to put their skates on, "I doubt you're that bad."

"If you thought I was bad dancing, well, this should be much much worse." He glanced over at the skaters who suddenly looked like Olympic hopefuls.

"You didn't dance that bad," she said quickly. Then she changed her mind, "Okay, you were a little bit lost but at least you eventually tried. The day I met you, you hardly made the effort."

He defended himself, "Hey, I had a good reason not to dance that first time."

She finished putting on her last skate. "What was that?"

"My pants were falling down." Darcy was concentrating so much on his attempt to stand with the skates, his tone was completely matter of fact. He didn't think about how it sounded until he noticed Lalita giving him a strange look. "What?"

"Your pants were falling down?"

He realized now she must not have known, though he could have sworn Balraj had practically announced it to the whole wedding audience. "Um, yeah, when we danced briefly those few minutes it started to fall. I was so scared…I mean, I wanted to make an impression on India but not that kind."

Lalita sat there, staring up at him, he wondered if he said something offensive again. But suddenly she started to laugh. Hard. Listening to her, he did realize it was actually quite funny, he joined in.

Finally, they stopped, and he reached out his hand. "Okay, you have to stand up with me."

Taking it, he tried to keep from jumping at the touch of her skin. She stood up and they were fairly close. "You steady?" he asked.

She nodded. Taking a gulp, he walked them towards the rink.

Lalita tried to ignore the sensations she felt at his touch. She had to concentrate on the matter at hand, namely not to fall down on the hard, cold ice. As they started out, Darcy let her hold the edge of the rink while he was on the outside of her. In spite of his complaints earlier, he was having no problem standing up on his own accord.

"You seem to be a fine ice skater," she said, as she slowly let her hand go from the wall.

"This?" He shook his head. "This isn't skating. This is standing. I guess I can do that, but barely. By letting go of the side and standing up on your own, you're already way ahead of me."

Somehow she wasn't so certain. "I doubt that. But so far so good I guess."

He laughed. "Actually I do think I can make a point to you now."

"What?" she said, still looking down.

"The way you are feeling on the ice, right now, this sense of unsteadiness…" He waited for her to respond.

"Yeah, what about it?" she asked.

"It's how I feel when I'm dancing." She looked up at him then, and he was grinning from ear to ear. Lalita's heart bounced and she grinned too.

Then suddenly, she dropped. Instinctively she grabbed for him, which brought him down too.

"You okay?" he asked.

She laughed, it was going to take some getting used to, but this was going to be fun. "Yes, as long as I can keep taking you down with me, I'll be fine."

"Well, won't we be the conspicuous couple? Here, let me help you up."

Together they slowly glided over the ice, both fairly unsteady. Darcy told her about a saying of "the blind leading the blind" and she could see his point. He really wasn't better, his earlier confidence gone since he was moving. Lalita's eyes roamed over his body, his jeans and form fitting shirt he was wearing. Lalita could see those muscles underneath, and found they were much more distracting then all the skaters flying by at the speed of light.

As the night went on, they got better. They'd spent little time talking, when one did try to speak, the other would fall and together they went down. Eventually she improved so much she skated away, and he pretended to act hurt when she was able to actually go far ahead of him.

"Sure, teach you how to skate, and then you leave me behind." He was smiling though. She watched as he started to catch up and so she would skate away. Now the night really became fun, as the cat and mouse game began. Of course, it was like watching a cat and mouse game of toddlers walking for the first time, but that didn't make it less fun.

Eventually he did catch up to her, but was unable to stop. His force pushed them into the wall, not hard. And she would have fallen but he was able to hold the side with one hand and her with the other. Her chest was pushed into his and their breathing was rapid.

"Told you I would catch you," he said triumphantly.

"By ramming into me." His face was just inches from hers. Her heart was beating so hard she wondered if he could hear it. Surely he could feel it. She took the opportunity to feel his biceps through the cotton fabric. He was so warm. And close.

She could smell him, she never wanted to kiss anyone so much in her life at that moment and the desire was on his face, he leaned in and for just a second, Lalita was going to let him. But she came to her senses, knowing she couldn't. Not here, not like this. She pulled away, quickly saying, "I can't."

Darcy's face flushed and she could see the pained look in his eyes. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't…that was wrong. I shouldn't have over stepped…"

Lalita's heart ached watching the misunderstanding play out in front of her. She tried to explain, "No, Will, it's not that, it's…"

A voice interrupted her. "Hey, you two, need to keep moving. No standing still on the ice. That's what the common area is for."

The man was someone who worked at the ice rink. Darcy nodded, looking quite stiff and formal. "Of course, you're about to close soon, right?" He barely waited for the man to respond when he turned to her, gesturing towards the entrance, "It's probably time to leave."

He skated away, she couldn't believe what happened, or didn't happen. She followed, he had already started handing her her shoes. Not sure what to say, she sat down and started changing.

Darcy finished way before her, and grabbed her skates as soon as she let them go. "I'll go ahead and turn these in."

Lalita felt tears in her eyes. She knew Americans had no trouble expressing physical affection in public but for Indians, her religion, it was forbidden. She had lived with the tradition all her life, and accepted it. But the desire to break it was never so great as it was just a few minutes earlier.

Darcy returned, she was still sitting. She started to get up, but he stopped her. Kneeling down, he looked her in the eyes. "I'm truly sorry. That was thoughtless and arrogant of me. To think you felt that way about me. I shouldn't have…I know you probably want to go straight home now and never see me again, though tomorrow is the wedding so you'll be stuck me there but if you don't want to talk to me, I understand. I'll stay away if you want…"

Moved by the tears she saw in his eyes, Lalita reached out her hand, placing it over his mouth. "You really don't know when to shut up, do you, William?" They gazed in each other's eyes for a few minutes, and she moved her hand to caress his face. Touching him felt so right.

"You need to let me explain, please." He silently nodded. "I can't…I'm not allowed…my religion prevents me from public displays of affection."

His eyes widened, and she went on, "Which I came very close to breaking just a few minutes earlier."

"Oh, Lalita," Darcy said, and then took her hand. Staring at it, he looked like he was internally arguing with himself on what to say next. Finally, he said, "I keep screwing up."

"It's ok, it's my religion that you've had no exposure to. I shouldn't expect you to know it all, but, I probably should talk about it."

He nodded. Together they got up, and walked out, he was still holding her hand.

Their talk took place at a nearby coffee shop. Lalita talked for a long time, answering any questions. Darcy's questions were sincere. Lalita realized with shame if he had asked the same questions back in India, she would have doubted his sincerity and presumed he was making fun of her. Now she saw a man who really wanted to know. In return, he talked about his own religion and traditions, not as many but the few he had were just as important to him as to her. When they were done, there was a new understanding between them. It was soon time to go home.

They parked the car and Darcy helped her out. They walked to the front door. People were inside but no one had heard them yet. She turned to face him. "I had a lovely time tonight."

He smiled, "Good, remember that because you will have bruises from those falls from earlier."

"Falling is good," Lalita said absent mindedly, realizing how close he was. Technically they were still in public but no one was on the street and her family was inside. She reached out, touching his chest, feeling the contours of his muscles. Hesitantly he approached. She made no effort to move away so Darcy slowly moved forward, gently kissing her forehead. She circled her arms around his waste. He took a step back, but forgot the porch step was behind him. He managed to keep from falling, but now he was one step below her which put them at eye level. Lalita giggled, he really was endearing. How could she not notice when he was in India?

Soon her smile faded and she leaned in, following her instinct, gone were all inhibitions. The touch of his lips on hers was fleeting but enough for her to move forward. He deepened the kiss and Lalita forgot everything around her, just enjoyed the sensations rolling through her body. Her experience of kissing was limited. When Jaya had told her what it was like to kiss Balraj, Lalita had no idea what her sister was talking about. Now with Darcy she knew exactly what her sister had experienced.

Eventually he pulled away. Lalita found herself slightly off balance and held onto the column to her right. She had to take a few seconds to recover. Meanwhile, his walk to the car was backwards so he could keep eye contact, making her laugh.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding," he said, hopeful.

"Oh yes, I'll be looking forward to it." She really would.


	6. Final

**Note: This skips now to practically the last scene. I always hated we never actually heard Lalita say she loved Darcy, to him or anyone. I needed real closure, like Darcy and Lizzie had right after Jane and Bingley's proposal. This is the best I can do.**

_Chapter Five (Last)_

Darcy couldn't stop touching his lip, it was throbbing by now, though the pain seemed trivial at this point. His best friend was marrying the woman whom he loved, and she returned that love. Darcy should be ecstatic. But instead, he couldn't stop thinking of what Mrs. Bakshi said a few minutes ago, trying to get Balraj to fix Lalita up with his own family. Just a few days ago he had laughed off her attempt to marry Jaya to Brad, but now when Lalita was her focus it didn't seem funny at all, especially since it didn't occur to anyone he might be a hopeful candidate. Did he really ruin his chances back in LA?

Lalita had been staring at him since her mother's comment and it looked like she was horrified, but was it because she now realized her mother would be devoting most of her attention to getting her married or was there more to it? Darcy sat in silence, trying to pleasantly listen to the plans being made and everyone's chatter, but he felt lost. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, he needed to leave.

Standing up, everyone stopped and looked at him. "I'm sorry to interrupt, I just think I better be…"

"Letting me clean up your face. I'll just take Will to the bathroom." Lalita then moved across the room, taking his hand and leading him away. He wanted to believe this was a good sign, but maybe she wanted to let him down gently in private.

The bathroom was down the hallway, and they were definitely out of earshot. She opened the mirror where her hosts kept the medicines. Trying to stall for time, he asked, "You know where they keep the first aid?"

"Yes, well," Lalita said, "Lakhi had cut herself when we were here before and I remembered they came in here to get a Band-Aid."

She pulled out disinfectant, wipes and ointment, and then concentrated on unwrapping everything. Darcy leaned on the wall, realizing how tired he was. He had come straight from LA to Balrag's home then to Lalita to only run around looking for Wickham. He was exhausted.

He made a decision, "Lalita, you really don't have to, I can go if you want…"

"Why would I want that?" She asked, looking quite serious, her eyes brimming with tears. Maybe she was nervous about hurting a man who helped save her sister.

"Because you made it clear how you felt about me. Back in LA. I've been a pri-err, jerk and I nearly ruined your sister's happiness as well as my friend's. Why would you want me around?"

"Will, you resolved it. They are engaged now. And after Lakhi-"

"Yeah, after Lakhi. Again, that's my fault. If I had just told you about Wickham from day one, that could have been avoided. Lalita, I'm sorry. If he had gotten away with running off with her, I'd never have forgiven myself."

Lalita was crying now. She reached out and took his hand. "Will, that's not your fault. The truth is, if you had told me, I probably wouldn't have believed it. I was a fool, my earlier impression of you had me convinced…oh, those signs of Wickham were there all along, I just chose to ignore them."

He stared at her hand holding his. Did she feel the same? "I was an ass in India, to you, to everyone. It's because of my callous behavior that led you to believe Wickham in the first place."

She lifted his chin so they were eye to eye. "We can keep doing this, blaming each other over something we can't change, the past, but I'd rather think about other things, like the future."

"You…do you want a future with me? Some of it will require living in LA, at least part of the time…"

"I'd travel to the ends of the world with you," she said smiling. "I never understood that before…understanding women who would drop everything to live with someone in a foreign land. But I can't imagine living without you. On the plane flight here, I was in turmoil because I knew life would be miserable without you."

He smiled a little bit, "That's funny. It's why I came here to explain. I was in agony after you left and I didn't get a chance to explain. Or not so much explain but rectify what I had done."

"There was this part of me that was hoping you would come." His stare led her to go on, "Naturally I wouldn't have admitted it though."

He grinned. "Naturally."

She looked at his lip then and said, "We really need to clean this up."

"Oh, yeah," he said, removing his jacket. "Go ahead; I'll be brave and strong."

She brushed one swab across his lip and he immediately yelped. "That's your idea of brave and strong?"

"Hey, I've been up since yesterday, or the day before or something. You should give me a break."

She paused at his comment, then continued but as gently as possible. "I should tell you, I didn't have feelings for Wickham. Not like that."

He flinched but not at the pain this time. He had wondered about their relationship, they seemed so close in India. He nearly went mad with jealousy. But he hadn't wanted to ask, been afraid of her answer.

She went on, "I admit he was attractive and charming, but what made him different than everyone else is he knew you, and in spite of my insistence that I wanted nothing to do with you, I couldn't get enough hearing stories about you, even if they were negative."

"Again, I'm sorry I acted like such a…"

"No, Will," she said. "What I mean is, our whole relationship was spent talking most of the time about you. It never occurred to me that was all we had until he left. I missed him some in the beginning, but it faded very quickly. Then coming to LA, you brought up Johnny's name, forcing me to admit I didn't miss him."

"Flying back to LA with you, sort of pinning you to your seat like that, I always took it as a good sign you didn't force your sisters to sit between us."

She laughed. "I wasn't sure what to do, so startled at your gesture. But the ride was fairly enjoyable." She was blushing now.

He grinned. He had watched her sleep and covered her up with his jacket. He fell asleep himself. When he was awake she was up and his jacket back in his lap. "I didn't snore did I?"

"No," she returned. "I woke up before you and watched you sleep. I kept your jacket on until I knew you were waking."

"Really?" She was done now and putting everything away.

"Honestly, Will, you have no idea what effect you were having on me?"

"Not then. Or later. I just wanted you to get to know the real me, hoping maybe then you wouldn't hate me so much."

She closed the medicine door. She walked over to him the other side of the doorway. "I don't know if I ever really hated you. You drove me crazy, as you say, but if I really hated you, you wouldn't have bothered me so much."

He laughed. "Well, wish I had that advice then."

She laughed too. "Of course, I didn't love you then either, not until I got to know you in…"

He cut her off, "Wait. What did you just say?"

She stopped and stared at him. "Hmmm?"

"Did you say you loved me?"

Shyly she nodded. Without thinking, he grabbed her and kissed her, ignoring the pain on his lips. Though startled at first, she reciprocated.

After a few breathless moments they parted. Looking around to make sure no one saw, he looked back at her, "Sorry. I know I'm not supposed to just grab you and kiss you like that but I think for now you're going to have to restrict saying those words until we are completely alone otherwise I might lose it again."

Her face was practically glowing. She leaned in close but just out of reach and whispered, "You're going to have to get used to it, Mr. Darcy. I love you and you're going to have to learn to live with it."

His heart was on fire. "With pleasure, Ms Bakshi." And he leaned forward for another kiss. When they parted, they walked hand in hand back to the living room. Things still needed to be settled and neither wanted to take away from Jaya and Balraj's moment. They could talk to her parents later.


End file.
